Last Things

Bottles of medicines –
Empty now and lying there –
The last of your shampoo
I used on my hair.

The black comb
You forgot to take –
The socks in the drawer –
Careless mistakes –

The pop socket broke –
We bought it, us three –
These little, last things
You won’t ever see.

I hold on to them
Like pieces of a heart,
And wonder when
The moving on shall start.

Afraid

Will others see me like you did?
Will this be the price of fame?
I do not like who I see now –
Will all of me remain the same?

I fear it isn’t so, never was;
And I do not think it will be –
Even you lied, eventually,
Taking away the best of me.

I wish I had power to be
A man with complete security;
No one to depend on or love:
A replete identity.

Yet, if you lied about your love,
Then your thoughts on me are false, too;
Ergo, I am not incomplete,
Despite the part I gave to you.

Instagram

Life goes on and I have begun to smile –

That smile even fools me for a while.

For a moment, I forget I am lost –

I forget what that smile really cost.

For many people love and want me still,

In the future, there will be more who will.

But, now the smile may linger on my face;

Though it is not true; it is some grace.

It knows how quick most love tends to forget

And the smile hardens quickly with regret.

Family looks on, as public, and knows

That smile long forsook what it shows.

But it’ll linger (tears aren’t well met by all

So, in dark, they will continue to fall).

In light, the smile sparkles on Instagram

And pretends, my dear, to not give a damn.